Key Events (10)
President Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15. Trump has stated there is a '25 percent chance' the meeting will not be successful and told Zelenskyy he will not discuss territory divisions with Putin this week, though reports indicate Ukraine has been diplomatically active ahead of the summit.
Trump announced he is seeking 'long-term' control of Washington D.C.'s police force and indicated the model could be extended to other cities. The move represents the first presidential use of a declared emergency to wrest control of a major city's police force.
Trump ordered the relaxation of environmental review rules for rocket launches, potentially benefiting companies including SpaceX and Blue Origin. Environmental experts warn the move could result in environmental damage to wildlife, air, and water.
EJ Antoni, Trump's pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, faced criticism from Republican and conservative economists over his credibility. Video evidence shows Antoni was present in the crowd of Trump supporters at the Capitol on January 6, though the White House characterized him as a 'bystander in town for meetings.'
Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters threatening prosecution to 32 sanctuary city mayors and county executives who do not comply with immigration enforcement efforts, stating 'we're going to come after you.'
Trump cuts to federal science research funding are threatening the foundations of the AI development environment and affecting rural radio stations that provide critical services to remote communities. Federal agencies have been significantly impacted by the reductions.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent filed charges against Sean Dunn for assault over an incident where Dunn allegedly threw a sandwich, with potential penalties of up to one year in jail. Dunn, who worked at the Justice Department, was fired following the incident.
ICE was sued in Louisiana for allegedly deporting a boy with cancer and two other U.S. citizen children to Honduras without giving parents a choice regarding whether the children should be deported with them.
Trump reportedly called a Norwegian finance minister 'out of the blue' to ask about the Nobel Peace Prize and said he wants to win it. Trump also ramped up a campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize ahead of his Putin meeting.
The Trump administration entered an unorthodox trade arrangement with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices regarding Chinese chip exports, raising concerns among trade experts. Separately, Florida announced plans to open a 'deportation depot' immigration detention facility as immigration enforcement efforts intensify.